Released January 10, 2012
Listen on Spotify
Throughout more than a decade of writing and recording excellent worship music together, the David Crowder*Band has rocked the Christian music world on at least a few occasions, never strictly adhering to the norm in their music but rather always coming up with something fresh, creative, worshipful, and just downright impressive. With the release of the lengthy Give Us Rest or (A Requiem Mass in C [The Happiest of All Keys]), the Crowder*Band has said their goodbye as a band so they can move on to new chapters in their lives. It is sad indeed to think about the possibility that these incredibly gifted musicians might never make an album together again, and yet now that this hotly anticipated final album has released, it actually seems that they might never have been able to top it, at least in terms of its expansive scope. The Crowder*Band saved the best for last, that’s for certain; in fact, they might have just released one of the greatest albums ever to hit the Christian music market.
One reason I make such a grand statement is that this album is positively massive. Though in its sheer size it loses some of the cohesiveness that their prior release, Church Music, boasted, it’s easy to forgive when the songs are so plentiful, diverse, and excellent. Including a whopping 34 tracks that together span a solid 100 minutes, Give Us Rest certainly has quantity on its side; thankfully, neither musical nor lyrical quality has been sacrificed to reach that length. Every track has its place on this album: even the short interludes feel natural and enhance the effects of their corresponding songs.
The diversity and uniqueness of this musical Requiem Mass are unbelievably astounding. Fans of the band’s more congregation-friendly recordings will find more than a lot to like about “After All (Holy),” “Oh, Great Love of God,” “Fall On Your Knees,” and “There Is a Sound,” and those who have appreciated the band’s bluegrass endeavors will instantly fall in love with the properly paired “Oh My God” and “I Am a Seed.” However, the Crowder*Band has never been content to stick solely with what they know best: “God Have Mercy (Kyrie Eleison),” “Blessedness of Everlasting Light,” and the epic seven-part “Sequence” are quite surprising and unusual musically but no less excellent than the rest. The “Sequence” is especially noteworthy for its genre-busting movement through stunning pieces about the coming wrath, God’s act of love in sending Christ, and how God will spare His children on the day of judgment.
Another key ingredient in this album is simply that practically every song could easily be considered a highlight. After listening to the stunning “Oh Great God, Give Us Rest,” the first full song on the album, for the first time, I was already almost overwhelmed. But naturally, I kept listening, and was pleased by the masterful guitar picking of “Come Find Me,” the sweet worship of “Fall On Your Knees,” and the uplifting lead single “Let Me Feel You Shine.” “Oh My God” and “After All (Holy)” are also among the album’s finest tracks with their simple but soaring choruses. “Oh, Great Love of God” begs to be played with a huge crowd of worshipers singing at the top of their lungs, while “Sometimes” creates a beautiful metaphor of God’s love being like an endless ocean (“It’s Your love that we adore, it’s like a sea without a shore… let’s risk the ocean, there’s only grace.”) The closing hymns are also very well done; I couldn’t think of a better way to end the album than with a song like the unforgettable “Because He Lives.”
If you’re into this kind of music at all, or even if you aren’t, you really need to check out Give Us Rest. Naturally it isn’t flawless, but it’s a true masterpiece of epic proportions. There’s length, variety, and sheer quality at every turn, and it all creates a wonderful offering of worship to the Lord. The Crowder*Band will indeed be sorely missed, but they have left us what might be one of the greatest albums ever released to the Christian music market. Farewell, and thank you David, Jack, Hogan, Mike, Bwack, and Mark. You have blessed so many people, myself included, with fantastic music to enjoy and worship our amazing God with. You will be missed, and I’m confident that your work will be fondly remembered for many years to come.
Top Highlights: “Oh Great God, Give Us Rest,” “After All (Holy)”, “Oh My God”
Joe Zamolo
Tuning My Heart 